FARM TO SCHOOL: As October is National Farm to School Month, we thought we’d highlight some of the unique agriculture and culinary offerings and programs that make our district so unique!
We kick things off today with a recap of our Summer Ag Camp, a new offering made possible by the $100,000 Farm-to-School Grant the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets awarded our district in 2022.
Middle school students who actively participated in Garden Club and Culinary Club throughout the 2022-23 school year met with a dedicated staff three times per week from Aug. 7 through 24.
Campers’ dedication and enthusiasm were evident as they showcased an array of agricultural skills they’d honed over the preceding school year, ranging from planting and harvesting to natural dyeing and paper making. In the kitchen, they made a variety of delicious dishes using the fresh produce from the garden.
Guest speakers and activities during Summer Ag Camp included:
• Don Gasiewicz, the Horticulture/Natural Resource Community Educator from Cornell Cooperative Extension, shared his expertise in high tunnel planting.
• Linda Franke from the Wyoming County Arts Council illuminated the art of natural fabric dyeing, allowing our campers to explore the beauty of botanical hues.
• Beekeeper Susan Brown shared the captivating world of bees, while Alixandra Kipler from Bubby's Breads on Maplewood Market unveiled the secrets behind crafting mouthwatering baguettes.
• Flowers on the Hill in Wyoming generously hosted our campers, allowing them to personally select fresh flowers that adorned campers’ culminating Garden Party dinner settings.
These are just SOME of the many incredible activities and learning experiences campers enjoyed over the summer.
We’re grateful for the invaluable contributions of donors like Burly Brothers, Merles Produce, Stoltzfus Farms and many others who helped make our first ever Summer Ag Camp such a resounding success. We are proud of the incredible teamwork and cooperation of students, staff and community members that helped shape these transformative three weeks for our campers!
(Photos courtesy of Alicia Spoth, Meaghan Matuszak, Becky Sphar and Michelle Barber)
The maiden voyage of “Science on Seneca” was a rousing success for our Local Outdoor Science students.
With two separate cruises on Seneca Lake yesterday, students measured and recorded data on water quality, the presence of zebra and quagga mussels in dredged sediments and plankton for monitoring algal blooms.
When students were not on Hobart and William Smith College's federally funded research vessel, they were on campus in its Geoscience Department learning about the history of salt contamination due to unregulated mining practices, invasive species and how important their work on the vessel is to monitoring and studying the health of our beautiful Finger Lakes.
Mrs. Jenna Linsey could not have provided this opportunity to our students without the staff of the Finger Lake Institute and Hobart and William Smith Colleges who trained her so she could prepare her students for the experience.
Thank you too to Mrs. Winters and Mr. Struzik for joining our outing and making this a positive experience for the 25 students who attended!
(Photos courtesy of Jenna Linsey)
Here is the link for the varsity boys soccer sectional game in Leroy vs Leroy October 18, 6:30pm start:
https://gofan.co/event/1117822?schoolId=NYSPHSAAV
Here is the link for the girls varsity soccer sectional game in Newark vs Mynderse October 17, 5pm start: https://gofan.co/event/1117637?schoolId=NYSPHSAAV
Our Elementary School students had an extra special assembly yesterday to celebrate the 100th birthday of Attica Elementary School!
Our students heard from Superintendent Dr. Kiel Illg and Board of Education member Brian Fugle about what school was like in Attica 100 years ago in 1923.
Fugle, who’s also the Attica Town Historian, also talked about some of the historical items on loan from the Attica Historical Museum that are on display in one of our trophy cases.
Then, each grade came up with something to put into a time capsule of their own to be opened by Attica Elementary School students of the future.
A special shout out to Jane Donnelly, a teacher assistant in the Elementary School who baked 572 (!!!) cupcakes for each and every one of our students and staff to help celebrate the school’s 100th - wowza!
Check out the video below for scenes from yesterday’s assembly.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-QtNYyzF74
Family ID will open Friday October 13 for all winter JV and varsity sports. Sign up and make sure your physical is on file with the nurse. First day of practice is November 13.
Shout out to Clayton Bezon, your Section V Class C Defensive Player of the Week.
The senior linebacker had nine tackles, 1 TFL and 1 sack in the Blue Devils’ 42-0 shellacking of Livonia last week.
Congratulations, Clayton!
(Photo courtesy of Section V)
Our high schoolers weren’t the ONLY ones busting out the school spirit last week - middle schoolers got in on the action, too!
Monday was Disney vs. Camo Day, Tuesday was Dig Pink Day, Wednesday was Letter Day (dress up like something that starts with the first letter of your first name) and Thursday was Attica Spirit Day!
Shout out to Kelly Gersitz for the photos!
Did you know that in the first month of school, our food service staff served about 7,150 breakfasts and 12,100 lunches to students?
That comes to about 325 breakfasts and 550 lunches each and every day.
By the time seniors walk across the Performing Arts Center stage in June 2024, our food service department will have dished out more than 159,000 meals to our students.
By ensuring students have access to nutritious and delicious meals while at school, our food service staff put them in the best possible position to learn.
Today, for National School Lunch Week, we recognize this absolutely astounding achievement and the men and women of our food service department who make it possible.
Thank you!
We caught Mrs. Ellie Durfee’s sixth grade English students in the midst of a fall-themed creative writing activity last week.
After studying the elements of literature, Durfee’s students played Roll-A-Story. Each group rolled a dice to choose a character, setting and conflict from a list of elements themed for October.
Once student groups determined the who, what, when and where of their story based on the roll of the dice, each student began writing a short story.
Students’ stories included rotten apples, grumpy animals and fall-themed settings!
(Photos courtesy of Ellie Durfee)
The end of Homecoming Week is always jam-packed and that’s just the way we like it!
From pep rallies and parades to football games to frolics, Blue Devils pride was on display just about everywhere!
Shout out to our juniors, who won Thursday’s pep rally; our sophomores, who earned ‘Best Homecoming Float’ for their 1990s-themed float (boy, do we feel old) and to our varsity football team, which got back in the win column with its 42-0 trouncing of the Livonia Bulldogs.
And a huge thank you to Brennan Bezon, Alanna Pellicane, Jocelyn Pierce and Amanda Brown for all the fantastic photos!
Attention district residents,
At its July 26, 2023 meeting, the Attica Board of Education approved a purchasing agreement for the sale of the Sheldon Elementary School building located in the town of Sheldon. The District officially closed on the sale of the building on Sept. 14, 2023.
In addition, the Board of Education on Sept. 14 unanimously voted to use the proceeds from the sale to pay off the remaining bond issuance associated with the building.
We welcome the property’s new owners to the community and wish them success in their future endeavors!
Attica/ Alexander varsity cheerleaders took first today at Dansville High school. They competed against 5 other teams!! Anna Hopfinger won the Phyllis Green Award (Do what you love award)
https://fb.watch/nyOheYPpuj/?mibextid=e1zS5d
Reminder: Our fitness center will be closed on Monday, Oct. 9, for the Columbus Day holiday.
A huge thank you to all our local firefighters and EMS workers for coming to speak with our students for Fire Prevention Day today at the Elementary School!
Our students learned about some of the vehicles, gear and other equipment first responders use when they head to an emergency.
We spotted a few of our National Honor Society chapter members “out in the wild” volunteering at a couple community service fundraisers this past month.
On Sept. 10, seniors Mia Mondano and Alanna Pellicane volunteered at the chicken barbecue to raise money for Gateway Home. The event was a huge success, with volunteers selling out more than 500 chicken dinners to benefit the hospice care center.
Then, on Oct. 1, Mia and Alanna teamed up with junior Kara Hassenfratz at a clam chowder sale and basket raffle to benefit the Cowlesville Fire Company.
Great job, ladies - we love so see our students out helping make a positive difference in the community!
(Photos courtesy of Alanna Pellicane/Pellicane Photography)
Family ID is now open for modified girls basketball and modified wrestling. Make sure to sign up. Athletes need an updated physical on file with their nurse. First day of practice is October 23.
Some of our students saw familiar faces today at Fire Prevention Day!
Fourth graders Ellie Keem, center left, and Allie George, center right, took a moment away from rotating through all the different stations to snap a photo with their dads Thomas, far left, and Dustin, second from right, both of whom are members of the Harris Corners Fire Department.
Your Attica Blue Devils toppled the Pembroke Dragons 25-15, 25-19, 25-22 during its annual Dig Pink volleyball game last night AND raised $2,300 for breast cancer awareness, care and research to boot!
Leading the way for the Blue Devils was senior middle hitter Molly Gersitz with 5 blocks and 1 ace and senior setter Elise Dressel with 27 assists, 5 digs and 2 aces. Senior outside hitter Maddie Robinson was all over the floor with 15 digs, 14 kills and 5 aces while senior outside hitter Ellie Cusmano had 13 kills, 9 digs and 2 aces.
The Blue Devils maintained their perfect record with the win, moving to 11-0 on the season.
A huge thank you to all of the local businesses for donating gift certificates and items, Jenn Holt for making amazing cupcakes, MB Hardie and Kelly Gersitz for organizing, all of the varsity volleyball parents and families for their contributions to the baskets and to Pembroke, for joining us in this fabulous night of fundraising!
Our girls are next in action tonight in Elba as they’ll take on the 8-4 Lancers.
(Photos courtesy of Brennan Bezon)
A few shots from Flickerball last night - full album over on Facebook at the link at teh end of this post.
Semifinal 1: Juniors > Freshmen
Semifinal 2: Seniors > Sophomores
Finals: Seniors > Juniors
Thanks to everyone who participated - on the field or in the stands!
Link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=100057106403663&set=a.821621596418046
